Sign assembly



1965 N. HAWKINS, JR 3,218,746

SIGN ASSEMBLY Filed July 9, 1963 INVENTOR Norman L. Howkins,dr.

k/Mm United States Patent 3,218,746 SIGN ASSEMBLY Norman L. Hawkins, Jr., Berkeley, Calif., assignor to Hawkins-Hawkins Co., Inc., Berkeley, Calif. Filed July 9, 1963, Ser. No. 293,753 1 Claim. (Cl. 40-145) This invention relates to sign assemblies and more particularly to such assemblies that are normally installed at street intersections to identify the streets.

Signs for identifying street names are desirably sturdy and attractive as well as inexpensive and capable of rapid installation and maintenance. The present invention attains the foregoing desiderata by providing a frame formed of four frame members which defines two slots around the interior periphery thereof for supporting two sign panels in parallel spaced apart relation. In the assembly of the present invention, each panel has one surface exposed for view and has the other surface facing the frame interior so that the last named surface is protected from weathering.

A feature and advantage of the present invention is that the sign can be virtually renewed by merely reversing each of the panels to expose to view the surface of the panel that was formerly protected from weathering by facing the interior of the structure.

Another feature and advantage of the present invention is that the assembly is relatively inexpensive to construct in that each panel frame is formed from members having identical cross-sections. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the frame members are formed from sections of extruded aluminum.

An object of the present invention is to securely lock the sign panels in place in the frame. This object is achieved by forming the bottom of the panel receiving 1 slots with an outwardly sloping surface so that the panels are urged outward by the sloping surface.

A further object is to provide a sign assembly the various parts of which are locked together by concealed threaded fasteners in order to render the assembly substantially vandal-proof.

Another object is to provide a street sign assembly in which the indicia bearing panels can be constructed of any suitable non-structural sheet material such as plastic, Masonite, or thin sheet metal. Attainment of this object is realized by providing an interiorly slotted frame into which the thin panels are inserted and secured. Because the panels are not required to possess any structural rigidity they can be made of inexpensive material and therefore can be replaced frequently to maintain a legible indicium on the visible surface.

Still another object is to provide a sign assembly that can be readily assembled either in the shop or in the field.

Attainment of this object is possible because the individual frame members are secured in assembled relation by corner clips that are so constructed as to not interfere with the panel receiving slots.

These and other objects will be more apparent after referring to the following specification and accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a sign assembly according to the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view in enlarged crosssection through the center of the assembly of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged view in cross-section of a corner joint in a sign frame of the present invention;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a portion of a device for locking two sign panel frames in a fixed angular relationship;

3,218,746 Patented Nov. 23, 1965 FIGURE 6 is a top plan view of the locking device of FIGURE 5; 7

FIGURE 7 is a plan view of two of the locking devices engaged with one another for securing two sign panels at a degree angle;

FIGURE 8 is a cross-sectional view of one of the frame forming members of the present invention.

In the present invention, a pair of sign panel supporting frames A and B are mounted on a pedestal C and secured in a desired angular relationship by a locking device D. Pedestal C is typically installed adjacent to the insersection of two streets and the panels supported in frames A and B contain indicia designating the street names.

Each of frames A and B include an elongate lower member 12, a pair of side members 14 and 16 extending upwardly from the extremities of lower member 12, and an elongate top member 18 spanning the upper ends of side frame members 14 and 16. The frame members are constructed of identical extrusions 20, the preferred form of which is shown in detail in FIGURE 8. Each frame member has a pair of spaced apart flanges 22 and 24 for supporting sign panels 26 and 28 respectively. Extending transversely and peripherally inwardly from flanges 22 and 24 are sloped surface portions 30 which sloped portions urge the sign panels transversely into contact with the respective flanges so as firmly to support the panels around the entire periphery thereof. Each extruded member 20 has a base 32 with peripherally inwardly extending legs 34 and 36 in which flanges 22 and 24 respectively are formed. Thus, it is seen that extrusion 20 forms a generally U-shaped section which affords the necessary structural rigidity to the assembly as well as defining the two sign panel receiving slots.

The corner joints of the frame members are preferably mitered as at 38 and are joined by an angular clip 40. As can be seen from FIGURE 4, clip 40 is sized to reside between legs 34 and 36 so as to avoid interference with an insertion of sign panels 26 and 28 into their respective slots. Clip 40 is formed of two plates 42 and 44 which define a generally L-shaped structure. Plate 44 (FIGURE 3) is secured to the base of frame member 16 by a rivet or the like 46; plate 42 is secured to frame member 18 by a threaded fastener 48. Thus, removal of threaded fastener 48 and its counter part on the opposite end of frame member 18 permits expeditious insertion and removal of sign panels 26 and 28 from the frame.

In installing the panels in the frame, upper frame member 18 is removed and the panels are inserted interior of flanges 22 and 24. Placement of upper frame member 18 onto the frame and tightening of the threaded fasteners 48 forces the panels outwardly toward flanges 22 and 24 because sloped surfaces 30 slope toward the flanges. Thus, the panels are firmly secured in the frame and are urged into contact with the flanges, as a consequence of which the appearance of the assembly is enhanced. Moreover, the interior surface of the sign panels are substantially sealed from atmospheric conditions and are therefore not subject to deterioration from weathering.

Frame members 12 and 18 are centrally apertured at 50 for receiving a rod 52 which supports frames A and B in upstanding relation. Frames A and B are retained in a desired angular relationship by locking assembly D which includes a pair of identical locking members 54. Each locking member 54 includes a plate 56 having opposing side walls 58 and 60 which side walls are so spaced from one another to embrace frame member 12 or 18. Plate 56 has a plurality of convexities or projections 62 and a plurality of concavities or holes 64. The convexities and concavities are complementary with one another so that a pair of locking members 54 can be fitted together with convexities 62 of one locking member engaging concavities 64 of the opposite member. FIGURE 7 illustrates two locking members 54 in engagement for mounting frame assemblies A and B at a 45 degree angle. Each locking member 54 is centrally apertured at 66 to receive rod 52 therein.

A cap 68 is suitably affixed to pedestal C and is centrally bored to receive rod 52 therein. Rod 52 is threaded at one end to receive a locking nut 70 within cap 68 and is threaded at the opposite end for receiving a finial 72. Finial 72 is formed with an interiorly threaded hole 74 for engaging rod 52 and has a smooth exterior tapered surface to prevent turning thereof with conventional wrenches or pliers. A threaded passage 76 extending from the exterior surface hole 74 is provided for receiving a set screw 78 which locks finial 72 to rod 52. In erecting, the assembly frames A and B are mounted on rod 52 and finial 72 is threaded onto the rod. The finial is then tightened by engaging a spanner wrench or the like into passage 76 after which set screw is inserted to lock the finial in place. The above described structure for securing the sign frames onto pedestal C renders the assembly substantially theft-proof since nut 70 is concealed and since finial 72 is normally out of reach of vandals. Moreover, the smooth tapered exterior surface of finial 72 renders the assembly substantially vandal-proof because the finial cannot be removed with conventional wrenches and/or pliers. This form of finial also enhances the appearance of the assembly.

Thus, I have provided a sign assembly that is attractive, inexpensive and easy to install and maintain. The indicia bearing panels, since they have one side protected from the weather, can be simply reversed in order to renew the street name designations. In addition, new panels of inexpensive material can be readily inserted when indicia on both surfaces of the existing panels are obscured by weathering.

While one embodiment of my invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications can be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

A frame for supporting a pair of indicia bearing sign panels in parallel spaced apart relation comprising a first elongate frame member having a base and two legs extending therefrom to define a generally U-shaped cross section, a generally L-shaped clip secured to each end of said elongate member between said legs, said clip being formed with two angularly disposed plates, one plate of each said clip being secured to the base of said elongate member between said legs, first and second side frame members extending from opposite ends of said first elongate member, each said side member having a base and two legs extending therefrom to define a generally U-shaped cross section substantially equal to that of said first elongate member, the other plate of each said clip being secured to the base between the legs of respective said side members at one end thereof for joining said side members to said first elongate member, a generally L-shaped clip secured to the end of each said side member remote from the end thereof joined to said first elongate member, last said clips having first and second angularly disposed plates, the first plate being secured to the base of a respective side member between the legs thereof, the second plates extending inwardly of said side members parallel to said first elongate frame member, a second elongate frame member having a base and two legs extending therefrom to define a generally U-shaped crosssection substantially equal to that of said first elongate member for extending between the ends of said side members remote from said first elongate member, means for removably securing said second elongate member to said second plates of last said clips, each said leg of said frame members being formed with a slot so that two quadrilateral parallel continuous channels are defined, each channel acting to receive therein the entire periphery of one of said sign panels, said slot having a lower surface sloping transversely and peripherally inwardly, whereby a sign panel is secured in each said slot and retained outwardly therein by said sloping lower surface.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 727,065 5/1903' Benham 40-4145 827,355 7/ 1906 Flowers 40l45 1,041,866 10/1912 Phillips 40--145 1,888,246 11/1932 Sprung 40-145 1,995,869 3/1935 Sprung 40-145 2,110,555 3/1938 Pfafi 40145 2,596,064 5/1952 Bishop 40-145 X 3,077,687 2/1963 Hanson 40-140 FOREIGN PATENTS 794,648 12/1935 France.

ROBERT E. PULFREY, Pnimary Examiner. JEROME SCHNALL, Examiner. 

